Gardening

Flower beds, vegetable gardens, herb gardens, and even weed patches.

God has blessed this earth with plants that grow and reproduce themselves. Some are pretty, some smell nice, some taste wonderful, some have medicinal qualities, and of course, some are a result of the curse that came with sin.

Do you garden?

What type of things grow in your garden?

For quite a few years I've worked on flower beds tending roses, tulips, daffodils, lilies, geraniums, petunias, irises, and some others that I can't think of right now.

Over the last few years I've started helping someone with her vegetable garden. This year, I'm applying what I've learned in order to help my mom with hers.

I'll admit, my very favorite part of the whole process is the beginning. You go out and weed like crazy, scratch up the dirt, get the water going, and then begin tending those plants that came back and deciding what other things you'd like to add.

The more I garden, the more similarities I see between actual gardens and the garden of my spiritual life.

There are constantly weeds that need to be plucked out, seasons that come and go, beautiful principles, character qualities, and truths that need to be planted and nurtured.

I must be careful to realize that while the beginning stage of "clean up" often seems the most rewarding...The real reward comes after the fruit begins to ripen.

I can tend to the garden in my backyard, but it's really God who makes things grow.

I can tend to the garden in of my spiritual life, but it's really God who makes it grow.

I must continually seek God and ask Him to clean me up but also to make me into a fruitful plant in His kingdom.

Jude 20-21

"But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life."